Album review: MAGIC DANCE – New Eyes
Frontiers Music [release date: 07.12.18]
Prime driver for this melodic rock/AOR outfit is Jon Siejka who created Magic Dance as a solo project in 2012. ‘New Eyes’ follows an earlier album ‘Vanishings’ and is the first output since the band was signed by Frontiers Music.
It is a decidedly retro, saccharine-heavy outing, though not necessarily in a bad way. The base layer of this AOR synth-rock cake comes from a staple 80’s recipe that might include Cutting Crew, Mr Mister and a host of other MTV-primed bands.
The sound is mostly light and pop-tinged. Some of the synth runs on tracks like ‘When Nothing’s Real’ and ‘Better Things’ bring back dread-memories of 6th form school discos where I’m stood on the side lines waiting for Guns ‘n’ Roses whilst the floor-fillers were coming from T’Pau and Johnny Hates Jazz.
Whilst this outing has to be seen as anachronistic, there is no doubting the quality of Siejka’s vocals. When he wraps his pure tones around album opener ‘You’re Holding Back’, and other tracks like ‘These Four Walls’ and ‘Please Wake Me’, he creates some slivers of undiluted joy. Title track and album closer ‘New Eyes’ brings a little of everything to the party.
Jack Simchak and Tim Mackey on guitars are sometimes allowed space to drop in some fluid solos and provide under-current riffs of reasonable substance: ‘Looking For Love’ – possibly the best track on show – and ‘Never Go Back’ are very pleasant moments. The band is completed by Mike Peniston and Kevin Krug on bass, and Kevin McAdams on drums.
On the whole, like too much trifle at Christmas, it is easy to get your fill of this album very quickly. There are not quite enough independent flavours to prevent a touch of AOR mush (e.g. ‘For a Time (The End of My World)’ around the middle to later stages of the album. But for lovers of retro AOR this will tick many boxes. ***½
Review by Dave Atkinson
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections